Did you know that John Harris of the Washington Post wrote a book? No? Really? Well, apparently, neither did his co-workers. Or, at least Harris doesn't think they know about it. Hence this letter "from the department of shameless self-promotion" in which he begs his peers to buy The Way to Win: Taking the White House in 2008." And they say the media isn't biased! Well, at least he's honest.

From: John Harris/news/TWP
To: NEWS - All Newsroom@WashPostMain
Date: Wednesday, October 11, 2006 02:05PM
Subject: from the department of shameless self-promotion

I recently wrote a book on presidential campaigns and strategy. "THE WAY TO WIN: Taking the White House in 2008" is focused on the way the political game has changed over the past generation and tries to illuminate the specific principles that people who have thrived at winning this game (including Bill Clinton and Karl Rove) know and how they put those principles to work.

He also encourages his Post colleagues to come hear him speak tonight. And the alluring fact that his underling simply adored the book is his main selling point.

My co-author, Mark Halperin of ABC News, and I interviewed dozens of people for this project, including Clinton, Rove, Dick Cheney, and many of their close aides.

The book is intended as a serious look at how politics and journalism work today, and also an entertaining romp for people (like Halperin and me) who are political junkies and are consumed by the looming 2008 election.

Mark and I will be speaking tonight at the great Politics & Prose bookstore, at 5015 Connecticut Ave. NW.

We'd welcome any Post colleagues who might be interested, in hearing us talk and helping us give Woodward a run for his money.

Thanks,

John Harris
www.thewaytowin2008.com

p.s. Chris Cillizza, who writes The Fix column for washingtonpost.com , wrote quite favorably about the book (and by no means do I consider his highly perceptive words to be influenced by the fact that Chris reports to me when he writes stories for the paper.)

This is almost as bad as when NYU journalism profs make you buy their books and come to their lectures in order to get "extra credit."

Posties: Please Buy This Book [Patrick W. Gavin, Fishbowl DC]